The Only Extended Warranties I Usually Buy

June 12, 2015

I am not normally a fan of extended warranties on many things.I once worked with someone who owned car dealerships and in discussing their business, I learned that the extended warranties have very high profit margins so the consumer in me said “if the profit margins are that high, they probably aren’t a good deal for me as a buyer.” I usually opt out of the warranties on relatively durable goods like a car, washer/dryer, microwave, etc. So far, it hasn’t come back to bite me (so far…). However, I do give consideration to buying the warranty on less durable things, like electronics (laptops, TVs, etc). Continue reading “The Only Extended Warranties I Usually Buy”

How Many Toys Is Enough?

June 03, 2015

My neighbor down the street is selling his camper, and so my wife walks in the house the other day and says, “Honey, did you see the camper for sale down the street?” Now I love to camp, and to be quite honest, I was stunned she even asked the question. First of all, we already have a boat, and second, she’s not really a big fan of camping. To me, camping is about “roughing” it, but for my wife, she likes to “pamp,” (which is a word my friend made up that describes people who want to be pampered when they camp—thus the name). Continue reading “How Many Toys Is Enough?”

3 Reasons You Probably Don’t Save Enough

May 28, 2015

Whether your main financial goal is to pay off debt, buy a home, or retire comfortably, chances are that saving money will be instrumental to achieving it. Yet too many of us just aren’t saving enough. Why is that? The following are the three main culprits I’ve found and what to do about them: Continue reading “3 Reasons You Probably Don’t Save Enough”

Getting Rid Of Your Cell Phone? Wipe It Clean First

May 27, 2015

Cell phones have become so common in our world today that we forget how much sensitive information is contained on these innocuous devices. Such information in the wrong hands could give an unscrupulous person access to private information, including links and passwords to financial accounts and statements. I recently switched cell phone providers to reduce my cost and increase my coverage and reliability, but I was not prepared to make sure the data that had accumulated on my old phone was cleared out before passing it on to the next user. Continue reading “Getting Rid Of Your Cell Phone? Wipe It Clean First”

Don’t Let Car Problems Wreck Your Finances

May 26, 2015

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to dip into your savings account or worse, pull out that credit card that you just paid off and use it for sudden car problems? When my husband and I were struggling financially, there were few areas in our finances that brought us to our knees the way that a potential car problem did. As my husband and I were reminiscing (really shuddering), he told me that if he had to talk to a couple struggling to manage their finances and their cars the following is what he would tell them: Continue reading “Don’t Let Car Problems Wreck Your Finances”

Should You Lease Or Buy Your Cell Phone?

May 20, 2015

Usually when someone is talking about leasing versus buying, they are talking about a car or real estate. However, have you ever stopped to consider that when it comes to choosing a cell phone provider, you might be making the exact same decision? You probably never thought of it this way, but when you sign a contract with any one of the major carriers, you are in essence leasing the phone. Continue reading “Should You Lease Or Buy Your Cell Phone?”

Always Read the Fine Print

May 13, 2015

Last month was my son David’s 15th birthday. For years, he has been asking for a cell phone, and now that he is a freshman in high school, has maintained good grades, and has shown at least some level of responsibility, his mother and I decided he was ready. I agreed to add David to our cell phone plan on one condition: that he buys his own phone. (Susan and I have found that the kids are more likely to take care of their devices when the cost to purchase it comes out of their own pocket.) Continue reading “Always Read the Fine Print”

Eating Healthy On A Budget

April 28, 2015

Okay, I will admit it. I am a little bit of a health nut. I love to run, do obstacle races, and do CrossFit and decided to also do the Insanity videos because I felt I needed a little something extra. My husband just looks at me, shakes his head, and loves me enough to give me the Epson salt when he sees me struggling to get off the couch – without commentary. Now that is true love. Continue reading “Eating Healthy On A Budget”

Don’t Pay For Free Stuff

April 24, 2015

I was walking down a long pier with my kids not too long ago and there was a big splash off to our left.I jokingly yelled “Free Willy” and my kids looked at me like I was having some type of out-of-body experience. They had no idea what I was talking about since the movie was made well before any of them were born, and while they’ve seen nearly every Disney and Pixar movie made since their birth, I guess they missed some of the older ones. They know way more about “Finding Nemo” than “Free Willy.”  Continue reading “Don’t Pay For Free Stuff”

5 Things You Need To Know About Auto Insurance

April 13, 2015

If you own a vehicle, maintaining sufficient auto insurance coverage is a necessity. Unfortunately, this area of our financial lives can become easy to neglect over the years. This is why an annual review of our insurance policies should be part of the financial planning process and those auto insurance policies need more than just a passing glance. If for no other reason, a refresher on the basics of auto insurance can help save you money while providing reassurance that you are protected for those “life happens” moments that can occur while behind the wheel of an automobile. Here are 5 things to know about auto insurance: Continue reading “5 Things You Need To Know About Auto Insurance”

“Worthless” Hunks of Junk

April 10, 2015

My daughter and I were talking about cars recently.She borrowed mine to “allow me” to drive hers for a few days to see if I could figure out what was the source of a noise coming from her car. After driving it for two days, I couldn’t figure out the noise but I was able to fill up her empty gas tank, check her fluids and inflate her tires.   Continue reading ““Worthless” Hunks of Junk”

5 Tips For a Debt-Free Honeymoon

April 07, 2015

Spring is an awesome time of the year. You can finally climb out of the 5 layers of clothes you wore during the winter and actually see more than the eyes of the people around you. This is also prime wedding planning time. One of our resident financial planners, Kelley Long, recently got married and shared her story of how to make sure a honeymoon does not follow you two years later in credit card bills: Continue reading “5 Tips For a Debt-Free Honeymoon”

In Defense of Tax Refunds

April 03, 2015

My friend Sana is awesome. She has the ability to point out a view that I may not have considered before and makes me take a step back a minute and consider other angles.  Maybe this blog post can do for others what she has done for me at times.  
 Continue reading “In Defense of Tax Refunds”

How to Reduce Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs

April 02, 2015

Are you paying more for out-of-pocket health care costs? If so, you’re not alone. There’s a growing trend to higher deductibles for health insurance policies, which means we’re increasingly having to pay at least $1-2k out-of-pocket before the insurance kicks in. Here are some ways to reduce those costs: Continue reading “How to Reduce Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs”

How a Journal Gave Me a New Perspective on Money

March 25, 2015

A few months ago, I started to keep a journal so that I could capture my thoughts about life and record them for the benefit of my children. I figure I work all day long and don’t really have much time to teach them some of the important lessons that I’ve learned along the way. My hope is that one day they will pick up my journal and hear my voice as I speak to them about what is really important. In the same way, there are some things that are just more important than others when it comes to our finances. Here’s how journaling has helped me deal with this concern: Continue reading “How a Journal Gave Me a New Perspective on Money”

Only You Can Prevent Financial Fires

March 24, 2015

Not to date myself, but I used to love the Smokey the Bear commercials about how, “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.” Well, when it comes to financial fires, the same rule applies. Although everything around you seems like it is out of your control, there are things within your control that you can do. Continue reading “Only You Can Prevent Financial Fires”

How to Maximize Your Satisfaction

March 19, 2015

How do you make decisions? According to this article, there are two basic approaches. Some people are “satisfiers,” which means that when they see a choice that satisfies them, they take it. Other people are “maximizers,” meaning they want to see and study all the choices to pick the best possible option. Maximizers do tend to make “better” choices (for example, they make more money on average) but they also aren’t as happy with those choices (including with those higher-paying jobs). That’s because maximizers are always wondering if there’s a better choice they could have made. Continue reading “How to Maximize Your Satisfaction”

We’re Not Talking About What’s Right. We’re Talking About The Law

March 18, 2015

One of my favorite TV shows of the 80’s was “WKRP in Cincinnati.” If you’re my age, you probably remember Johnny Fever, Venus Flytrap and of course Jennifer and the infamous Turkey Drop: http://youtu.be/lf3mgmEdfwg. As much as I loved that episode, my favorite quote came from another episode where Mr. Carlson is talking to the station’s attorney about a legal issue. When Mr. Carlson is talking about a situation that is morally wrong, he says, “That’s not right,” and the attorney responds, “Arthur, we’re not talking about what’s right. We’re talking about the law.” Continue reading “We’re Not Talking About What’s Right. We’re Talking About The Law”

How to Find Lost Money

March 16, 2015

A few weeks ago, a truck and the trailer attached to it were stolen from a hotel parking lot in the suburbs of Atlanta. Unfortunately, it seems like crimes like this happen on a daily basis. In the case of this particular theft, it is likely the nighttime bandits had no idea what they were actually stealing. Continue reading “How to Find Lost Money”

It’s Time For Changes to Payday Loans

March 06, 2015

In what is a positive development for many Americans, not to mention society at large, there are some changes coming to the world of payday loans. The CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) is rolling out some new regulations for the short-term loan industry that can only be viewed as a good thing by the borrowers. (Maybe not so much for the owners of the lending companies, though.)  Continue reading “It’s Time For Changes to Payday Loans”